Still Without A New Team, Free Agent Ben Simmons Is Reportedly Considering Retirement

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With the start of the NBA season rapidly approaching, we only have a few TBDs left when it comes to some notable free agents. On the restricted free agency front, Cam Thomas decided to play under his qualifying offer (!!!!), and we’re still waiting on Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga, and Quentin Grimes to figure their shit out. I’d be shocked if they were traded at this point, so it’s really the choice between agreeing on an extension price or playing under the QO.

When it comes to established veteran free agents, if you are under the impression that Al Horford is eventually headed to GS, then the market is really just left with Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons.

As it turns out, it may not even include Simmons

From a basketball standpoint, I can’t say this is all that surprising. When you look at the market for Simmons, there’s a reason he isn’t signed yet. I wouldn’t say there are no teams who are interested, but with this new CBA world, every dollar matters. If you can land Simmons for the minimum or a nonguaranteed deal, why not take the swing? But with reports suggesting he wants more than the minimum, no shit there are no takers so far

If this truly is the end for Simmons, what a career he’s had, and I don’t mean that as a compliment. His rise and fall was wild, and his back injury changed his career forever. The mental and physical battle proved to be too much, and it’s crazy to think about the promise he showed early as a Sixer. How different would his career have gone if he took that layup? Or if Embiid ever came through instead of just blaming Simmons for everything? 

So while the basketball side might not be the greatest, it’s a much different story when you take a step back and look at the game of life.

Simmons walks away from the NBA having made hundreds of millions of dollars. He’s set for life at age 29. Sure he may forever be the butt of a joke and whatnot, but whatever. Sometimes you forget there’s a human element to pro athletes, and in terms of life off the court I’d argue being 29 with hundreds of millions in the bank is pretty sweet. Plenty of players have far worse careers and never make that kind of money, so in some ways Simmons comes out on top.

Part of me also thinks there may be a little “you can’t reject me, I’m rejecting YOU!!” at play here. You’re telling me if a team came with a guaranteed offer for more than the minimum that Simmons would turn it down to retire instead? No chance. But since that offer isn’t out there, the natural next step is to play this card.

“Oh no, I totally have tons offers, I’m just choosing to retire instead”

Sure thing, pal. We all believe you.

What also wouldn’t surprise me is if he remains unsigned (but doesn’t retire) and then we get to the trade deadline and he joins a team at that time for the stretch run. Maybe someone has an injury, maybe a contender decides to take a swing for low risk/cost, who knows. 

But if he does end up hanging ‘em up for good, he’ll certainly have one of the more polarizing careers in recent memory.